Folklore of Wells: Being a Study of Water-Worship in East and WestMasani, Rustom Pestonji
Religion
Folklore of Wells: Being a Study of Water-Worship in East and West
Masani, Rustom Pestonji
Holy wells; Water -- Folklore; Water -- Religious aspects
In Bombay the Manmala tank at Matunga, the major portion of which has
been recently filled up and on which the Sassoon Reformatory now stands,
has a reputation for curing measles. People from distant parts bring
their children to this tank and the nymphs residing in it seldom fail
to cure them of the malady. We are not aware of any other city well or
tank gifted with such healing powers, but there are several in the Bombay
Presidency. The Folklore notes of Gujarat mention a few. The water of
the Krukalas well in the island of Shankhodwar is believed to cure
fever and diseases caused by morbid heat. A draught of the water of the
Gomukhi-Ganga, near Girnar, gives one absolute immunity from an attack
of cholera. The water of a gozara well (_i.e._, a well which is polluted
owing to a person drowned in it) cures children of bronchitis and cough.
There is a well near Ramdorana, of which the water is effective against
cough, and the water of the Bahamania well near Vasawad is credited with
the same virtue. The water of the Mrigi Kund near Junagadh cures leprosy.
The Pipli well near Talawad is well-known for the stimulating effect of
its water on the digestive organs. The residents of Bombay, however, need
not go to Talawad for this boon. There are in the city the Bhikha Behram
well on Churchgate Street and the High Court well on Mayo Road renowned
for similar properties of their water. In Northern India hydrophobia is
believed to be cured if the patient looks down seven wells in succession,
while in Gujarat when a person is bitten by a rabid dog, he goes to a
well inhabited by a _Vâchharo_, the spirit who curses hydrophobia, with
two earthen cups filled with milk with a pice in each, and empties the
contents into the water. In the island of Shiel there is a _vav_ called
_Than-vav_ where mothers who cannot suckle their children for want of
milk wash their bodices which, when subsequently put on, are believed to
cause the necessary secretion of milk.
It was recently brought to my notice that the guardian spirit of a well
in Lonavla also possessed the gift of blessing mothers with milk. After
that well had been dug, a goat was offered by the owner of the well to
the spirit. This offering proved most unacceptable and the waters of the
well at once dried up. The owner implored pardon and vowed that no animal
sacrifice would ever again be offered, and that milk and ghee would be
presented instead. This had the desired effect and the guardian spirit
of the water has since been most friendly. “A few months ago,” said my
informant, “a young lady was desirous of getting milk for her new-born
babe. After fruitless attempts for a fortnight, she took an oath that
she would present to the water-saint _ghadas_ of milk and ghee and she
was forthwith blest with milk for the infant.”
In the Konkan the water of a well drawn without touching the earth or
without being placed upon the ground is given as medicine for indigestion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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